Putter

ABSTRACT

An improved golf putter that consistently imparts topspin to a golf ball that is struck therewith for increasing the tendency of the ball to leave the putter in a predictable manner along an intended path and at an intended rate of speed. Unlike conventional, flat-faced putters, the inventive putter has a forward-projecting, rounded striking edge for delivering an upwardly-directed strike to a golf ball regardless of whether the golfer strikes the ball early or late during his or her putting stroke. Additionally, the round striking edge of the putter reduces the amount surface-to-surface contact between the putter and a golf ball relative to traditional putters, thereby mitigating the undesirable effects of flawed, laterally off-center putting strokes that would otherwise cause a struck ball to travel offline immediately after impact.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/233,171 filed Aug. 12, 2009.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY-SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

REFERENCE TO AN APPENDIX

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention is directed generally to the field of golf clubs, and is more particularly directed to an improved golf putter having a putter head with a forward-extending, rounded striking edge for consistently imparting topspin to golf balls that are struck therewith.

Putting is arguably the single most important aspect of the game of golf in terms of achieving an optimal score. Of the 72 strokes that are allotted for shooting a score of even par on a typical golf course, half are allotted to putting strokes alone (i.e., two putts per hole for 18 holes). Even recreational players who shoot scores well above par will putt approximately 40 percent of their strokes during an average round of golf. Gaining proficiency in putting is therefore a highly effective way for a player to improve his or her scores.

In order to achieve proficiency in putting, a player must generally be able to do two things well: 1) the player must be able to “read” putts appropriately; and 2) the player must be able to strike putts in a relatively predictable, consistent manner. “Reading” a putt involves examining the contours and the speed of a putting surface, and possibly certain aspects of surrounding terrain, to determine the direction in which a ball must be struck, as well as the force with which the ball must be struck, to cause the ball to reach the hole and fall in. This is an entirely cognitive process that occurs prior to striking a golf ball. Conversely, striking a golf ball in a predictable, consistent manner involves a largely physical process that is dependent on a player's hand-eye coordination, his or her putting mechanics (i.e., the player's form when making a putt), and the quality of the particular putter that the player is using to make the putt. Consistency and predictability enable a player to putt a ball in an intended direction with an intended amount of force in accordance with the player's prior reading of a green.

It is well known that a golf ball that leaves a putter with an initial forward roll (i.e., “topspin”) will hold its line better and will roll out longer, straighter, and in a generally more predictable manner on a putting surface than a ball that initially backspins, sidespins, hops, or skids immediately after being struck. A well struck putt that immediately imparts topspin also rolls truer in windy conditions and generally diminishes the effect of other external factors that can influence a putt, such as the grain and the slope of a putting surface.

Since a putter, and more particularly the striking surface of a putter, is the only direct interface between a player and a golf ball when making a putt, it is important that the striking surface be capable of delivering a strike that imparts topspin to a ball in a relatively consistent manner. To achieve such a strike, it has traditionally been presumed that a putter should be formed with a substantially flat striking surface that is meant to strike a golf ball in a perpendicular orientation relative to the ball's intended initial direction of travel. The vast majority of putters that are used by both professional and recreational players employ such a flat striking surface geometry.

A problem that is associated with traditional, flat-faced putters is that they require a player to strike a golf ball at, or very near, the bottommost apex of a putter head's path of travel during a conventional, pendular putting stroke in order to deliver a quality strike that imparts topspin. The player must therefore strike the ball in a very precise manner with very little margin for error. If the player strikes a ball too early during a putting stroke (i.e., during the downswing of the putter head) the striking surface will hit down on the ball and will pinch the ball against the putting surface, causing the ball to initially skid, hop, side-spin and/or backspin on the putting surface in an unpredictable manner immediately after leaving the putter face. Conversely, if the player strikes a ball too late during a putting stroke (i.e., during the thru-swing of the putter head), the striking surface will hit up on the ball, causing the ball to be lifted slightly away from the putting surface and hop or skid as it leaves the putter face.

In view of the foregoing, it would be advantageous to provide a putter having a striking surface that is capable of imparting topspin to a golf ball that is struck therewith in predictable manner and on a consistent basis. It would further be advantageous to provide such a putter that affords a player a substantially greater margin for error when making a putting stroke relative to traditional, flat-faced putters.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an improved golf putter for consistently imparting topspin to golf balls that are struck therewith. The inventive putter has a putter head with a rounded, bumper-like striking edge that extends substantially forward relative to the shaft of the putter and that is elevated relative to the sole of the putter.

Unlike the striking surfaces of traditional, flat-faced putters, the striking edge of the inventive putter will not trap or pinch a golf ball against a putting surface if the ball is hit early in a player's downswing, and will not lift the ball away from the putting surface if the ball is hit late during the player's thru-swing. The forward-extending, rounded striking edge will deliver an upward strike to a target golf ball below or near the ball's equator regardless of whether the strike occurs early in the putter's downswing or late in the putter's thru-swing, thereby mitigating the chance of the ball skidding, hopping, side-spinning, or back-spinning in an unpredictable manner immediately after being struck. Instead, the ball will leave the striking edge of the putter head with a smooth, end-over-end, forward roll that will increase the likelihood of the ball moving along an intended initial path of travel at an intended rate of speed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an end-on view illustrating the putter head of the preferred embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the putter head of the preferred embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a view in section illustrating the putter head of the preferred embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1 addressing a golf ball.

FIG. 5 is a view in section illustrating the putter head shown in FIG. 4 during a backswing of a putting stroke.

FIG. 6 is a view in section illustrating the putter head shown in FIG. 5 during a downswing of a putting stroke.

FIG. 7 is a view in section illustrating the putter head shown in FIG. 6 during a thru-swing of a putting stroke with a golf ball leaving the putter head with a forward roll.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating an alternative embodiment of the present invention with a center-shafted configuration.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating an alternative embodiment of the present invention with an offset shaft configuration.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view illustrating an alternative embodiment of the present invention with a mallet configuration.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view illustrating an alternative embodiment of the present invention with removable weights.

In describing the preferred embodiment of the invention which is illustrated in the drawings, specific terminology will be resorted to for the sake of clarity. However, it is not intended that the invention be limited to the specific term so selected and it is to be understood that each specific term includes all technical equivalents which operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 1, the present invention is an improved golf putter 10 that allows a player to consistently impart topspin to a stationary golf ball that is struck therewith to propel the ball along a straight and true path of travel. The inventive putter 10 includes a shaft 12 that terminates at a first longitudinal end in a putter head 14 and that is covered at second longitudinal end by a grip 16. The shaft 12 and the grip 16 of the putter 10 are conventional and will not be described in any greater detail herein, although it should be noted that any type of suitable shaft and grip, including, but not limited to longer shafts and longer or bifurcated grips, such as those used in broom putters and belly putters, can be substituted for the standard shaft 12 and grip 16 shown in FIG. 1 without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the putter head 14 includes an elongated nose 18 having a flat sole 20, a rounded striking edge 22, and an angled face 24. The nose 18 extends forward (i.e. in the direction of a target golf ball) from the putter's shaft 12 a preferred distance of 1.5 inches. It is contemplated that the nose 18 can extend forward from the shaft 12 any distance in a preferred range of about 0.5 inches to about 3 inches.

The angled face 24 of the nose 18 extends upwardly from the flat sole 20 and away from the shaft 12 at an angle of approximately 45 degrees until it reaches a forward-most apex, where the angled face 24, which is contiguous with and is part of the rounded striking edge 22, curves back toward the shaft 12. The striking edge 22 has a preferred radius of 0.25 inches, although it is contemplated that the radius of the striking edge 22 can be any length in a range of about 0 inches (e.g., forming a sharp corner) to about 0.75 inches. The height of the apex of the rounded striking edge 22 relative to the flat sole 20 of the putter head 14 is 0.75 inches, although it is contemplated that the height of the apex can be varied as long as it does not exceed the radius of a conventional golf ball, which typically measures about 0.84 inches. While the angled face 24 is shown in FIG. 2 as being a flat surface that meets the sole 20 of the putter 10 at an angled juncture, it is contemplated that the angled face 24 can alternatively be rounded and can be contiguous with the sole 20.

The putter head 14 is formed of aluminum, although it is contemplated that some or all of the putter head 14 can be formed of any other sufficiently durable material, including, but not limited to brass, bronze, copper, steel, zinc, titanium, wood, plastic or various composites. For example, it is contemplated that the majority of the putter head can be formed of aluminum with the rounded striking edge 22 being formed of a composite insert.

When the putter 10 is used to putt a golf ball 26 with a conventional, pendular putting stroke as shown in FIGS. 4-7, the rounded striking edge 22, and particularly a point on the striking edge 22 at or immediately adjacent the apex, is naturally brought into contact with the golf ball 26 below the ball's equator with an upwardly-directed strike, as shown in FIG. 6. The forward extension and the curvature of the putter's striking edge 22 enables a golfer to consistently strike the golf ball 26 in this improved manner regardless of whether the ball 26 is struck “early” (i.e., on the downswing of the putter 10) or “late” (i.e., on the thru-swing of the putter 10). That is, if the ball 26 is struck before the putter head 14 reaches its lowermost apex in its pendular path of travel, an upper surface of the forward-projecting striking edge 22 will nonetheless have already have passed the lowermost apex and will deliver an upwardly directed strike to the ball 26, causing the ball 26 to topspin and roll true (i.e., without skipping, skidding or back-spinning) immediately after impact. Similarly, if the ball 26 is struck after the putter head 14 reaches its lowermost apex in its pendular path of travel, a lower surface of the forward-projecting striking edge 22 will nonetheless deliver an upwardly directed strike to the ball 26, causing the ball 26 to topspin and roll true immediately after impact. Thus, regardless of a player's timing, the struck ball 26 will have a natural tendency to roll out on a putting surface in a predictable manner in an intended initial direction at an intended initial rate of speed without hopping, skidding, side-spinning or back-spinning. The configuration and geometry of the putter head 14 thereby provides a player with a significantly greater margin for error relative to traditional, flat-faced putters.

In addition to the benefits described above, the rounded striking edge 22 of the nose 18 provides the advantage of reducing the amount of surface-to-surface contact between the putter 10 and a golf ball relative to traditional, flat-faced putters. That is, the surface-to-surface contact area between a round surface and another round surface (e.g., between the striking edge 22 of the putter 10 and a golf ball) is generally less than the contact area between a flat surface and a round surface (e.g., between the face of a traditional putter and a golf ball). The reduced contact area facilitated by the geometry of the rounded striking edge 22 of the inventive putter 10 thus minimizes the effect of a flawed putting stroke on the path of travel of a struck golf ball. For example, in the case of a laterally off-center strike wherein a golf ball is struck near the toe or the heel of a traditional, flat-faced putter, the putter head will tend to twist slightly about the axis of the putter's shaft, thereby causing the struck golf ball to travel off-line. The rounded striking edge 22 of the inventive putter 10 reduces the effect of such off-center strikes and mitigates twisting of the putter head 14, thereby increasing the tendency of struck golf balls to roll out on an intended path.

As depicted in FIGS. 1-3, the putter head 14 has a conventional, heel shafted, blade configuration. It is contemplated that putter head 14 can alternatively be center shafted in a conventional manner, as shown in FIG. 8, or offset in a conventional manner, as shown in FIG. 9. It is further contemplated that the putter head 14 can alternatively have a mallet configuration, as shown in FIG. 10. Still further, it is contemplated that the putter head 14 can incorporate removable weights, as shown in FIG. 11.

After a minimal amount of use, the inventive putter 10 creates a special feel of a predictable, “true stroke” in the hands of a player when striking a golf ball. This feel is consistent stroke after stroke, thus allowing a golfer to build confidence in his or her putting, which in-turn generally results in the player stroking the putter more fluidly and with less apprehension. The player's putting thereby continues to improve over time.

This detailed description in connection with the drawings is intended principally as a description of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, and is not intended to represent the only form in which the present invention may be constructed or utilized. The description sets forth the designs, functions, means, and methods of implementing the invention in connection with the illustrated embodiments. It is to be understood, however, that the same or equivalent functions and features may be accomplished by different embodiments that are also intended to be encompassed within the spirit and scope of the invention and that various modifications may be adopted without departing from the invention or scope of the following claims. 

1. An improved putter having a putter head with a rounded striking edge that extends forward from a shaft of the putter a distance of at least 0.5 inches, wherein a forward-most apex of the striking edge has a height of at least 0.5 inches relative to a sole of the putter head.
 2. The improved putter in accordance with claim 1, wherein the striking edge extends forward from the shaft a distance in a range of about 1 inch to about 2 inches.
 3. The improved putter in accordance with claim 1, wherein the forward-most apex of the striking edge has a height in a range of about 0.75 inches to about 0.84 inches relative to the sole of the putter head.
 4. The improved putter in accordance with claim 1, wherein a radius of the rounded striking edge is in a range of about 0 inches to about 0.75 inches.
 5. The improved putter in accordance with claim 4, wherein a radius of the rounded striking edge is in a range of about 0.25 inches to about 0.5 inches.
 6. The improved putter in accordance with claim 1, wherein the putter head has a blade configuration.
 7. The improved putter in accordance with claim 1, wherein the putter head has a mallet configuration.
 8. The improved putter in accordance with claim 1, wherein the putter head has removable weights.
 9. The improved putter in accordance with claim 1, wherein the putter head has a heel shafted configuration.
 10. The improved putter in accordance with claim 1, wherein the putter head has a center-shafted configuration.
 11. The improved putter in accordance with claim 1, wherein the putter head has an offset shaft configuration. 